"Andy Evans" wrote in message
oups.com...
Much like driving a vintage car, using a vintage camera, or anything
else that was designed at a time when users were expected to have at
least some knowledge of the equipment.

The interesting argument is whether some of the older products were in
fact "better" in some ways. It's not so much that the research and
technology was better - Leica lenses today out-perform previus models
in performance, if by that we mean sharpness - more that certain things
were very well made and their subjective and indeed sometimes objective
quality remains valid (I'm sure we could include some classic cars or
parts of cars). Some users like the older Leica lenses for bokeh,
colour and other subjective qualities. Todays transistor amps as a
whole are better than almost anything available in the 30s, but then
some of the discreet componants like directly heated triodes (e.g. WE
300B) were masterpieces and are collected and used in modern circuits
with modern componants (including loads of ss devices in the circuitry)
right alongside modern equipment. The valves themselves, as discreet
amplifying devices, seem to have survived remarkably well. But then so
have the best old Leica and Schneider lenses, even when camera
technology is miles ahead. So yes, technology marches on but it leaves
in its wake little islands of perfection from past ages.



Nice ramble, Andy - 'islands of perfection'...?? I like that!! :-)

Not so sure about the older Leica lenses for *colour* though - a lot of them
are/were uncoated or available in both coated and uncoated versions.
(Stunning for black and white, of course...)